For more updates about the The BoF 500 subscribe to the Daily Digest newsletter

For more updates about the The BoF 500 subscribe to the Daily Digest newsletter

{alt missing} Alex Franco

Simone Rocha

Designer, Simone Rocha

Praised for her forward-thinking and feminine collections, this Irish designer is the daughter of famed British designer John Rocha.

Biography

The designer, known for her signature sense of subversive femininity, has become a staple at London Fashion Week, with stores on both sides of the Atlantic and stockists that include Matches Fashion, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue.

The Irish designer made her debut at London Fashion on-schedule with Fashion East in 2010, the same year she graduated from the acclaimed fashion MA at Central Saint Martins. Prior to that, she completed her BA at The National College of Art and Design in Dublin.

She is the daughter of Hong Kong-born, Dublin-based designer John Rocha. Odette, her mother, is John’s manager. While she followed her father’s footsteps in becoming a designer, Rocha has made a name for herself with her unique aesthetic that is sharper and more minimal than her father’s, and often incorporates clean colour palettes and experimental fabrics, such as wrapped cellophane and heavily embroidered lace.

Rocha’s tomboy-feminine collections have since gained much traction, particularly with renowned stockists like Dover Street Market in London and Ginza, Ikram in Chicago, 10 Corso Como in Milan and Seoul, and previously Colette in Paris. In August 2015, Rocha opened her first store in London on Mount Street. The store interiors feature Rocha’s signature furniture and handmade sculptures. The following year, she opened her first US store in Soho, New York.

In February 2018, Rocha presented her first collection during Milan Fashion Week as creative director for Moncler as part of the Genius Group.

Accolades have included the British Fashion Awards for Emerging Talent, Ready-to-Wear in 2013 and The New Establishment Award (2014). Most recently at the 2016 Fashion Awards, Rocha received the British Womenswear Designer Award as well as the 2016 Harper’s Bazaar Designer of Year Award. For AW19, she was featured in Vogue.com’s Top Ten Shows for the seventh consecutive season.

Career

Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha

Designer

2012 - Present

London, United Kingdom

Education

Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design

Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design

The National College of Art & Design

The National College of Art & Design

Vital Statistics

Born
1986
Nationality

Ireland

Location
United Kingdom
Member since
2014

Similar Profiles

Robin Derrick

Former Executive Creative Director, Spring Studios

Shelley Fox

Donna Karan Professor of Fashion Design, Parsons The New School for Design

Lilian Pacce

Publisher and Curator

Roksanda Ilinčić

Designer, Roksanda


What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.